arrear

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Unfinished work: "arrear" (usually in plural "arrears") refers to tasks or work that remain incomplete or overdue.
   • Unpaid debt: "arrear" also means money that is owed and has not been paid on time, such as rent, taxes, or bills.
   • A position behind: In archaic usage, "arrear" denotes the back or rear part of something, like a procession.

Usage Examples

• Unfinished work:
  • He has many arrears of work to catch up on after his vacation. (Tasks left undone.)
• Unpaid debt:
  • The tenant is in arrears with the rent for three months. (The tenant has not paid the rent on time.)
• Archaic position behind:
  • The children walked in arrear of the parade. (They walked behind the main procession.)

Advanced Usage

• "in arrears": a fixed phrase meaning behind schedule in payment or completion.
  • The company is in arrears on its loan payments. (The company has missed its scheduled payments.)
• "fall into arrears": to become overdue in payments or obligations.
  • If you miss two payments, you will fall into arrears. (You will become behind in your payments.)

Variants and Related Words

• Arrearage (n): the state of being behind in debts or work; the amount owed or unfinished.
  • The arrearage on the account was substantial. (The total overdue amount was large.)
• Arrears (n, plural): the standard modern form, used almost exclusively in financial and work contexts.
  • She cleared all her arrears by the end of the month. (She paid all her overdue debts.)

Synonyms

• Overdue amount: debt, backlog, deficiency.
• Unfinished work: backlog, pending tasks.

Idioms

• "in arrear of" (archaic): behind or after in position.
  • The stragglers were in arrear of the main group. (They were behind the main group.)

Phrasal Verbs

• (None commonly used with "arrear"; the word is primarily a noun.)